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Watch: Edinburgh's Fijian Bill Mata produces majestic feather-touch offload for one of the tries of the tournament
Edinburgh’s Fijian Viliame “Big Bill” Mata has sparked a brilliant counter-attacking try during a second-half comeback in their pool stage win over Toulon.
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After Toulon dropped the ball on a promising movement, Edinburgh quickly shifted the ball out wide to the barnstorming Number 8, who weaved through traffic down past halfway before delivering a beautiful feather-touch offload on a silver platter for centre James Johnstone.
https://twitter.com/rorylawson9/status/1084171676982693889
Viliame “Bill” Mata is the BEST no. 8 in World Rugby right now. Don’t @ me.
— Ben Atiga (@atiga1037) January 12, 2019
Bill Mata has made one of the best one handed offloads you will ever see to set up James Johnstone for a try. Toulon 12 Edinburgh 28 after 65 mins
— Rob Robertson (@ROB_Robireland) January 12, 2019
The score extended Edinburgh’s lead to 28-12 with 15 minutes remaining to effectively seal the match. Bill Mata was praised on social media for one of the best offloads ever seen, with former All Black Ben Atiga calling him the best Number 8 in World Rugby right now.
“Bill Mata is a very good player,” head coach Richard Cockerill said post-match.
“He is very good with this team because we have a good balance to help him play – he’s a big player for us. But we’re a team that’s about everybody, about the unity of the team.
“Viliame is very important along with everybody else and he’ll be with us for a long time to come.”
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Bill Mata was judged the man-of-the-match for his performance.
After an amazing performance and *that* offload, Big Bill Mata is tonight’s Heineken Man of the Match!#TOUvEDI | #AlwaysEdinburgh 🔷🔶 pic.twitter.com/C6jOJtacod
— Edinburgh Rugby (@EdinburghRugby) January 12, 2019
Edinburgh’s famous 28-17 win was just the third ever on Stade Mayol soil in European competition, after being down 12-8 at halftime they scored 20 unanswered points to hand Toulon a key loss.
Cockerill was pleased with the effort but insists the job is not done yet. Although they sit atop of the Pool they have a return clash with Montpellier that will likely decide the pool winner at Murrayfield next Friday.
“I was really proud of the boys out there tonight. We’ve made a little bit of history and hopefully the travelling support will go in to work on Monday delighted with how we performed,” said Cockerill.
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“We haven’t won quite yet – I want to win next week. I want to have a home quarter-final, because we have given ourselves the opportunity to do that so hopefully we’ll have a big crowd at BT Murrayfield when we play next Friday.
“We’ll enjoy tonight, enjoy the feeling of satisfaction of winning here, but we’ve still got a lot to do and we’ve just got to keep improving.
WHAT. A. WIN! 🔷🔶 pic.twitter.com/8RS6X7txvh
— Edinburgh Rugby (@EdinburghRugby) January 12, 2019
Rugby World Cup City Guide – Fukuoka:
